Press for resolution, Jagan tells Cong. TDP MLAs

Hyderabad, December 14: After succeeding in shifting the national focus towards the need to amend article 3 vis-'-vis division of Andhra Pradesh, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has appealed to the MLAs of Congress and TDP to press for a resolution in the Assembly for a united State and vowed to fight the battle till the last post.

'I appeal to all the legislators of Congress and TDP to listen to your conscience and press for adopting a resolution in the Assembly in favour of a united State as this is the hour of reckoning and time to save the State and we owe it to the next generation. The entire nation is looking at us now,' he told reporters here on Saturday.

Cutting across party lines, come united to save the State which is the only answer to the divisive politics of Congress and TDP which is helping the ruling party. Irrespective of what the Party High Command says or Chandrababu Naidu tells, listen to your conscience and force the assembly to pass a resolution in favour of a united State, he said.

This appeal becomes imminent, the Kadap MP said, as Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has been bidding time on some pretext or the other right from the CWC resolution till the draft Bill is sent to the State Assembly that he would conjure up a miracle to stall the process.

On the contrary, he has been helping the high command in clearing the decks for the division and has worked at a lightning speed by finishing the procedural process of distributing the draft Bill within 17 hours of receiving it.

This shows his sincerity, while N Chandrababu Naidu has been diabolic, dubious and filled with duality. He neither withdraws the letter he has given in favour of the division nor does he utter the united state slogan. He encourages his leaders of both sides who are taking contrasting stands while he remains mum and does not speak out.

It is not too late even now for him to give a letter in favour of a united state, but that is not his wont as he wants to run with rabbit and hunt with the hound.

In the full glare of the Parliament four out of his six MPs have asked for a united state. The floor leader went missing and the duality of the Party was ripped open in the Parliament itself.

With Kiran Kumar Reddy obliging the high command and following the orders with total submission as we have seen how he has worked on a war footing while Digvijay Singh was in town and TDP leader helping out Congress leadership in all aspects, the legislators should hear to their heart and demand that a resolution should be passed in the assembly in favour of a united state, he said. Naidu during the past one week has been interacting with media on a daily basis but has never spoke of a united state.

'For the past one month I have been touring the entire country visiting state after state and meeting leader after leader to mobilise opinion on the need to amend article 3 which could be misused by the party in power.

All of them have agreed with my contention and some of them even shared my views with the media and the injustice being done to Andhra Pradesh has gained national attention. Some of the parties have also agreed for moving an adjournment motion in the parliament and the nation has come to know about the misuse of article 3 and the imperative need for passing resolution in the assembly to divide any state has been put forth before all the political parties.

'I have requested them to join the battle I am waging against the undemocratic and authoritarian division of the State as if they are silent today it may be their turn tomorrow. My trips have evoked good response and I could convince the leaders of national and regional parties that Congress is splitting the state for the sake of votes and seats. I have succeeded in shifting the focus of the nation towards our State and the improper political manoeuvers of Congress.

After the nation has took a closer look at what is happening in Andhra Pradesh, it is our turn to act and act properly. Hence I appeal to all MLAs cutting across party lines to demand for a resolution in the assembly in favour of a united state.

'Jagan Mohan Reddy cannot do it alone. It is for you all to join for the bigger cause leaving party affiliations behind and keep the state united. Our state is the third biggest economy on a national scale and the division will slide the two parts to 9th and 14th places, it will separate the city and the sea ports and put the clock of development backwards,' he said.

Asserting that the coming few days are very crucial in the history of the State, he said the focus should be on keeping the State united and moving no-confidence motion is a secondary issue.

The election schedule is due in another 70 days and the results are foregone conclusion but the point of focus should be to pass a resolution in the assembly first. When asked who will the Party support after the elections, he said, we will support anyone who assures that the State will be kept united.